


The Moments You Forgot

by goththatman



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Boys Kissing, Cuddling & Snuggling, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, M/M, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:28:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26860657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goththatman/pseuds/goththatman
Summary: This is a very fluffy short work, with some familiar themes for Devorak stans! Plague AU
Relationships: Apprentice/Julian Devorak
Kudos: 12





	The Moments You Forgot

On almost a whim, Barnabas had gone from being a magician’s apprentice to a doctor’s. Truthfully, he wasn’t learning much from Dr. Julian Devorak, mostly he was helping soothe patients in their final days, adding his knowledge of herbs and magic to the treatment regimen. Mostly, he and the doctor worked side-by-side over the patients, while Julian would occasionally disappear on Valdemar’s order, usually to personally take care of the dying Count Lucio.

Still, Barnabas was always trying to learn from Julian’s notes and books, putting in his magical expertise whenever necessary. Julian, though ever the workaholic, was always grateful and quick to give his apprentice credit where it was due. It wasn’t long before they developed a rapport, Julian insisting on Barnabas just calling him by his first name in exchange for affectionately calling his apprentice “Bee”.

The first time that had happened, Barnabas gave the doctor a look of disdain (which wasn’t hard for him to pull off, as Barnabas was a naturally-angry looking young man). “How long did it take you to come up with that one, Doctor?”

“Julian, please. It’s really the only way I can think of shortening your name. Besides, it’s cute...I think it suits you.” Julian then winked lecherously in a way that he often did when he was trying to get away with something.

“I guess I’ll have to get used to it, then.”

Their camaraderie was a bright spot in a very dark time, with some very dark business. Patients, death tolls...they all kept piling up. Julian was called away more and more often, sequestering himself in his office when he wasn’t actively treating patients. Barnabas couldn’t have been the only one who noticed that the doctor was working himself to the bone, but it seemed that everyone else simply went about their day, desperate business as usual. After all, everyone had started to put in more work, not just Dr. Devorak.

Then, one day, after Barnabas and Julian had been tending patients, Julian went to say his usual goodnight pleasantries, but instead of leaving, he dragged himself towards his office, forgetting to take off his coat and gloves before leaving the hospital room. This time, Barnabas followed him into his office to see him lighting his lamps, already beginning to fetch his study supplies while still smeared with blood.

“Julian…”

The doctor nearly jumped out of his skin. “Bee! What are you still doing here?”

“Um, you forgot to take off…”

“Uh, oh!” The doctor started to tear off his gloves and coat, throwing them on his desk. “I mean, it’s no big deal, but thanks!” He smiled at his apprentice, but his smile was strained.

“You can’t keep going like this Julian, you at least have to rest some time.”

The doctor’s face hardened quickly. “I’m needed, Barnabas. I can sleep when I’m dead.”

Barnabas almost left at Julian’s use of his real name alone, but was able to steel himself as the doctor swayed a bit on his attempt to turn heel. “Come on, don’t be so melodramatic. You can’t be of much help if you stay in such a state…”

“You don’t understand. I can’t just go home, not now.”

“Please, Julian…” Barnabas put his hand on Julian’s arm, trying to steady him. “At least rest a bit. We have an on-call room, right? Come on, I could use some sleep, too.” Of course, the apprentice didn’t really want to sleep in the hospital, but he somehow knew that the doctor wouldn’t take care of himself without being nearly forced to (they did say that doctors make the worst patients, after all).

Barnabas led the protesting doctor to the on-call room, a small stone chamber with several bunk beds for physician use. When they reached their destination, however, Barnabas knew he’d have to get a bit clever.

Only one cot was left in the whole room, a single lower bunk. 

“You should use it, Bee, I'm getting used to the lack of sleep.” Julian turned briskly to leave, but was immediately caught by a hand on his shoulder. He obligingly spun around to face Barnabas once again. 

“Nope. You are not getting away with that this time.” Barnabas’ eyes flashed, his brows giving his statement more fierceness than he actually felt.

“Getting away with what?”

“You can't use helping me as an excuse to hurt yourself.” The apprentice made sure to lock eyes with the good doctor to emphasize his point, sincere in his intense protectiveness.

Julian rolled his eyes. “Now who's being melodramatic?”

“Look, we're both...wiry. We can share the thing.” In spite of his protests, Julian was compliant as Barnabas led him over to the cot and sat down. Julian nodded and started to lay down, his back against the wall as he wriggled under the covers, leaving room for Barnabas to follow suit. “And you'd better close your eyes, Devorak.”

However, the apprentice had made one error: in his eagerness to monitor the doctor, they’d come face-to face in the small bed, their eyes at the same level for once.

Julian smiled with just a little mischief at the corners of his eyes. “How can I close my eyes with such a sight in front of me?”

In spite of himself, Barnabas felt his breath catch and his face redden. Doctor Julian had always been a relentless flirt (when he could be pulled away from his work), and his apprentice had thought he was used to it. Still, Barnabas hadn’t counted on the effect of being so close to this man, to feel his heat and smell his scent, a faint spice covered by antiseptic, still alluring to his apprentice somehow. 

Their eyes were meeting differently than before, fierce green on cool grey, and Julian softened as he examined the other man. “This is the softest I’ve ever seen you look, Bee.”

It was then that Barnabas kissed Julian: softly at first, waiting for reciprocation. Not a second passed before Julian returned the kiss, sweetly, then passionately, his lips pressing against Barnabas’ near-desperately. Barnabas pushed forward in kind, pressing his tongue between the doctor’s waiting lips, earning a low moan for his efforts.

“Hey! Some of us are trying to sleep!”

The interrupting voice came from the bunk above them. They quickly separated their faces, laughing softly.

“Sorry, Dr. Asha.” Julian said. Then, focusing back on Barnabas, he whispered: “So, should we take this back to my office?”

“Not at all.” Barnabas chuckled softly at the doctor’s surprise. “Now that I know you like me, you are in so much trouble. There’s more where that came from, of course.” He gave Julian a soft kiss to his cheek, whispering in his ear: “But first, you have to try and get some sleep.”

“You drive a hard bargain, Bee. I’ll close my eyes then, alright?” He smiled smugly as he demonstrated his lids shutting.

“Good enough.” Barnabas realized he already had his arms wrapped around Julian as he snuggled closer to the lanky doctor, putting his head resting on the other man’s chest. Julian entwined himself in kind, dutifully keeping his eyes closed.

Neither of them actually managed to go to sleep, but at least they got some rest together.


End file.
